


Like a River Flows, Surely To the Sea

by MrsNoraPalmer



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fake Relationship, Fluff, almost relationship, set during their vacation after she gets out of time prison
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-05
Updated: 2018-12-05
Packaged: 2019-09-12 11:09:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16871860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrsNoraPalmer/pseuds/MrsNoraPalmer
Summary: Nora Darhk and Ray Palmer head to the beach for their vacation mentioned at the end of "Somewhere in the Crowd, There's You" reading that is not necessary to understanding this. They finally spend the day at the beach, filling their day with almost moments until finally will the assumption that they are husband and wife push them into each other's arms?





	Like a River Flows, Surely To the Sea

**Author's Note:**

> Hellloooo! So an anon asked me on tumblr to a super cliche trope and I got to pick the trope. One of the suggestions was fake relationship so this is for you anon! Many thanks to Soph aka timetravelingpalmer for giving this a read through! ALSO The double asterisks towards the and is that if you give Elvis Presley's version of "Can't Help Falling In Love With You" a listen as you read it starting at the double asterisks it makes it more feelsy so ENJOY!

Nora had been having a pleasant dream for once. She and Ray had spent a wonderful day on the beach and had retired to bed. He kept her nightmares at bay. The next morning she found herself wrapped in his arms.

Ray nuzzled her neck and Nora snuggled back towards him.

“Good morning.” Ray kissed her neck.

Nora grinned. “Good morning, handsome.”

Ray moved so he hovered slightly above her and she moved onto her back. She pulled him in for a deep kiss and when it broke he moved his lips down to her neck, collarbone, and above her breasts. She threaded her fingers through his hair and moaned softly.

“Ray…” she muttered when his love bites got slightly more painful than erotic. “Ray…” she warned a second time. “RAY!”

This time he lifted his head up and his eyes were blackened and she scrambled away from him. “Mallus will rise again,” he said in a low demonic voice.

And then she woke up.

Nora clutched at her chest and observed her room in darkness. Everything was fine. Just fine. No Mallus. But also no Ray. She stared at the door and considered going into his room but she hesitated. He probably wouldn’t want that.

Nora flipped the pillow over and laid back down, and tried to let to the sound of the waves lull her back to sleep.

xxxx

Nora woke up and the sun was shining through the curtains. She made her way into the kitchen where Ray was cooking breakfast. She hopped up on the counter and stole a raspberry.

“What are you making?”

“Gluten free pancakes.”

Nora’s wrinkled her nose. His healthy food would drive her crazy one day.

Ray shook a finger at her and presented a plate of regular pancakes. “I made them in a separate pan. Just for you.”

Nora took them with glee and proceeded to cover them in butter and syrup.

“Thank you… so what’s on the agenda for today?”

“I figured we could head down to the beach since we hit up most of the tourist spots already. We haven’t spent enough time down at the beach.”

“Sounds good to me.” She dove into her pancakes. “Did you umm, hear anything last night?”

“No, why? Did you think you heard something? You should’ve come and gotten me.”

“No… must’ve been a bird hitting the house or something.” She shrugged outwardly and relief washed over her inwardly. He hadn’t heard her nightmare.

Ray nodded and continued making his breakfast. He shuffled so he was right in front of perched on the countertop and her legs were slightly open, he sucked in a breath knowing how easy it would be to step between her legs and kiss her. But she wouldn’t want that. She’d probably set him on fire for doing that.

Ray reaches behind her for the syrup bottle and Nora realized how easy it would be to lean in and kiss him. But she stopped herself. He believed in her. But he wasn’t in love with her.

They ate their breakfast in a comfortable silence and Nora hopped off the counter to go get ready for the day.

xxxx

Ray shoved their umbrella into the sand. The beach was deserted except for them. He owned this part of the beach and was more than happy to have it be just him and Nora.

Ray opened their beach chairs and Nora undid her swim cover up. His knees nearly buckled when he saw her bikini. It didn’t leave much to the imagination and ray had to snap himself out of it before she caught him ogling.

“Do you like it? I got it at one of the shops yesterday.”

“Ye…yes…” Ray watched her sit down and start applying sunblock. She look over her shoulder and offered him the bottle. “Can you get my back and neck?”

Ray nodded wordlessly and took the bottle. He applied some to her back, which was exposed much more than her one piece they originally picked up. He gently massaged the lotion into her skin, trying to cover every exposed inch.

Nora didn’t know what came over her to pick the bikini but she did and she quite enjoyed Ray’s reaction to it. Nora closed her eyes, relishing in the feeling of him running his hands over her body. They felt so much better than the sensations she felt during her dream turned nightmare. He was real and his hands felt amazing.

Ray finished off by putting lotion on her shoulders and rubbed her biceps carefully and she turned her head to meet his gaze. They were sitting so close together, he could easily wrap his arms around her and sit there like that with her. Nora took a deep breath and looked away.

Too soon.

Ray moved away from her and took off his shirt, applying sunscreen over his body as well. He was worried to ask her to get his back after what happened when he applied sunblock to hers but she came up behind him and took it from him before he could even ask. Her hands were gentle and small so it took a little longer to spread lotion across the wide expanse of his back. She set the bottle down and moved back to where she was sitting.

Nora took out a book she’d been reading and Ray did the same. They settled into their chairs and sat in comfortable silence. After about an hour, Nora closed her book and looked out at the ocean. She’d been to the beach with her parents once and knew how to swim so she decided to go for a dip.

“I’m heading into the water,” she said quietly.

Ray looked up for his book. “What?”

“I said I’m heading into the water, just letting you know in case you get into your book and look up to see me gone. No trying to get the national guard to find me.” She chuckled.

“Right… okay…” he said and resumed his book.

Nora sighed, a part of her had wished he would want to come into the water with her. That’ll teach her to get her hopes up.

Nora dove into the water and it felt amazing. Freeing. She floated there for a minute. Letting the waves gently move her wherever. Her senses settled, her mind cleared. And it said one thing. She was in love with Ray Palmer.

Her eyes sprung open at the shock of it. At first that was the only effect but she soon tried to reorient herself in the water and couldn’t get her footing. She felt swept into a wave and tried to raise a hand for help.

“Ray!” She yelled but the waves were too loud. She panicked, she was yelling for ray in her head, knowing that yelling out loud would be a fruitless endeavor and thinking of him would at least bring her last moments peace.

Suddenly, strong arms wrapped around her and she saw him. Ray. She wrapped her legs around his waist and wrapped her arms around his neck. She was terrified to let go.

“I heard you yelling for me and then I saw you in the waves.”

“I only yelled for you once, but the waves were too loud you couldn’t have heard me.”

“No you yelled for me like four or five times. It took me a minute to realize what had happened.” He carried her to where the water barely reached their knees and Nora realized that she was still wrapped around Ray like an octopus. She lowered herself on shaky legs and held onto his arms for support.

“I only yelled for you once.”

“Maybe you thought you had and in your panic kept yelling.” He shrugged and walked back to their umbrella. Nora followed him but pulled the chair out so her whole body could be exposed to the sun. She laid there quietly while it tanned her back and thought. How could Ray have heard her? Unless he could hear her calling for him, in her mind.

She knew they didn’t have a psychic connection like Firestorm but could she have needed him so much her magic made him hear her? She shivered at the thought. A moment later a beach towel was in her face. She looked up and saw ray, his face neutral.

“I figured you were cold.”

And that was the last thing he said to her before they left the beach.

xxxx

Some time apart in their own rooms and a shower for Nora, she felt like she could actually talk to him again. Sure she was in love with him but somehow the tables had turned. He was colder to her now more than he’d ever been. They already decided on dinner plans at a local restaurant that morning so they were going to honor their reservation but she guessed that meant whether or not they were happy to see the other person.

Ray was sitting on the couch in black slacks and a blue button down. He was clean shaven and looked so good to Nora. She was in a dark floral sundress and coughed to get his attention.

“Hi.”

“Hey, ready to go?” He asked. There was no emotion in his voice. Her heart ached. The second she realized her feelings for him any affection he had for her left.

Nora nodded and grabbed her purse. Before they left, she grabbed ray’s arm. “I never thank you, for saving me. I’m sorry.” The last two words encompassed a lot more than just not thanking him in a timely manner.

Ray only nodded and went out the door.

The restaurant they picked had a nicer side for intimate dinners but also a bar and a dance floor. Nora wanted her ray back. The funny one that would ask too many questions about the nutritional facts of the food on the menu and make up for it by tipping the waiter and obscene tip and hugging the waiter, saying how waiters and waitresses were stupidly underpaid and how that wasn’t fair.

Nora had to fix this. “Ray… is there something bothering you?”

“No.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“Ray…”

“I said I’m fine.” His tone did not sound fine.

Nora sat back a little. He never sounded that upset with her. Sad like a sad kicked puppy? Sure. But never angry.

Ray realized his tone and sighed. “I’m sorry I’m just mad at myself. I should’ve been out there with you in the water. I almost didn’t hear you. You could’ve died Nora. I would have never forgiven myself.”

That’s what it was about? He was beating himself up because of what happened.

“Ray Palmer, you have saved my life in more ways than one. You saved it, physically, today. You shouldn’t beat yourself up over the fact that you didn’t save me as fast as you possibly could’ve. You still saved me I’m still here. That’s all that matters” She took his hand from across the table. “I owe you my life.”

She was about to tell him about how her magic was why he heard her when the waiter came by. She took her hand away like it suddenly burned and told the waiter she just wanted water.

When the waiter left, Ray looked relieved and more like his old self. “What are you going to get?”

“I was thinking of the shrimp pasta…”

“That has so much sodium.”

“I’m aware. Been living in a time prison and the food is pretty bland, so I need some.”

“Your arteries don’t.”

“Don’t tell me what my arteries do and don’t need.” She retorted and just like that, they were back to the old Ray and Nora.

xxxx

After dinner they decided to have drinks at the bar. Ray spotted a jukebox and just HAD to see what was on it. Nora stayed by the bar, sipping on a glass of wine. She felt a presence behind her and figured it was Ray. “Please tell me there wasn’t anything good so I don’t have to see your dorky dance moves.” She finally turned around to see a jacked up man in a Polo and khakis standing behind her. “Oh sorry I thought you were…”

“What? Come here with a boyfriend? That’s a shame. I’d like to be your boyfriend.”

Nora gagged. “Umm no. Just no.”

“No you don’t have a boyfriend or no I can’t be yours? Yes is the correct answer to the first question and no is the correct answer to the second, by the way.”

Nora made a disgusted face. “I’m not anything to you especially if you’re going to tell me how to answer something.” Nora was getting riled up now. Killing people, however, was now wrong and using magic was a violation of her parole.

“Dance with me and see if that changes your mind.” He went to grab her waist but a hand intervened and yanked the creep’s hand down, it made a loud crack sound at the wrist.

“I don’t think my wife said she would dance with you. So please go before I have them throw you out.”

“Who the hell are you?”

“I’m her husband, I thought that was clear when I called her my wife.”

“She ain’t got no ring on.”

“I didn’t want some creep like you stealing it,” Nora chimed in.

The creeped cradled his now broken wrist and walked away muttering about how terrible women were.

“Sorry I didn’t see what was going on until someone told me someone was trying to hit on my wife. I got confused cause I don’t have a wife and then I realized they meant you,” Ray said, grateful to have gotten to her in time.

Nora blushed. She had been called Ray’s wife too many times tonight. She had to admit though, Nora Palmer had a good ring to it.

“Thank you, for what you did. I felt really cornered and that guy was really jacked. I’m surprised he didn’t punch you or try.”

“Yeah I guess I got lucky there. Come on, let’s dance.”

“You did find something, didn’t you.”

“I almost did but decided against it.” He offered her his hand.

“Well as long as I don’t have to watch you dance like a drunk giraffe I guess we’ll be okay.”

Nora followed him out onto the floor and the music suddenly changed. **Soft piano and percussion floated through the speakers linked to the jukebox, they began to sway softly and then Nora swallowed heavily hearing a low voice sing “wise men say only fools rush in…”  
Nora’s heart rate picked up as the song progressed. Whoever chose the song somehow knew the best-worst time to play it. She swayed gently with Ray, avoiding his gaze.

She finally looked at him partway through the song. She swallowed hard and finally spoke. Softly though, not wanting to break what felt like a sacred moment. “Thank you, again for what you did back there…”

“I care about you, and I always want to make sure you’re okay.”

She smiled. This man… “I think I figured out why I thought you couldn’t hear me but you did.”

“Why’s that?”

“I think my magic called out to you. When I was caught in the waves I just wanted you to come get me. I was calling out to you in my mind. I didn’t realize I was literally calling out to you.”

Ray looked surprised. “Well regardless, I’m glad I heard you. I’m glad you’re safe. Like I said I care about you and I always want to make sure you’re okay.”

Nora smiled at his sweet words and leaned in to place a kiss on his cheek. She pulled back and looked in his eyes again. His stupid puppy dog brown eyes, “take my hand, take my whole life too, for I can’t help falling with you…” floated through her ears and she knew exactly how she felt.

She felt him lean in and thought about all of the times they had been in this moment, leaning in but never acting on how they felt. She felt it in Berlin, she felt it in the medbay after she saved Constantine, she felt it this morning at breakfast and today on the beach when he applied her sunscreen and none of those times had they acted on it they put stupid self deprecating barriers up, worried the other wasn’t ready for it. But she was ready. She was ready to feel something between them.

They continued to lean in until their lips met and the song began its last verse. Nora closed her eyes and continued to kiss him. If he reacted poorly she’d just say it was a thank you and never bring it up again. She felt Ray kiss her back and wrap an arm around her waist.

When they parted, the world felt different. The magic of the song was gone. She could tell in Ray’s eyes that he wanted to talk about it now but… did she?


End file.
